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2025 GATEWAY OPEN STUDIOS TOUR Saturday, May 10, 2025 from 12 – 5 pm

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The Gateway Arts District is the largest in the region, but it is easy to underestimate as many of its artists work in spaces tucked away or without public hours. An exciting element of this event is that visitors can see spaces not always open, view artists’ work and workspaces, and talk to the artists about their practice on this special day of open houses.

The district roughly encompasses a two mile stretch from Mt. Rainier to Hyattsville with most locations on or around Route 1/Rhode Island Avenue. Best to start at the Washington Glass School at 3700 Otis Street.  While some intrepid art goers choose to walk, Free shuttles will be operated along the corridor to help people cover more ground. Street parking is available as well at Lots 1, 3, and 4 in Hyattsville. Shuttle routes and a parking map will be available on the OST website.

In addition to visual art, many neighboring businesses will be poised to welcome visitors for food, drink, and further discovery of the many small and creative places within the Gateway Arts District.

After the open studio tour, all are welcome to the outdoor afterparty from 5 pm – 7 pm hosted by Broken Square and featuring music, skateboarding, and a food truck at 3698 Wells Ave, Mount Rainier, MD. If something quieter is your preference, head to Portico Gallery at 3807 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood, MD 20722 for an end of the day porch hang.

Thank you to our sponsors Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council, MiXT Food Hall, and Gateway CDC.

The event is FREE and open to the public. Visit https://www.gatewaycdc.org/ost2025 for a map of participating artists and studios to plan your self-guided tour.

Posted in artists, artists by the tracks, artists of the washington glass school, contemporary art glass, contemporary artwork, craft design art, figurative art, fine art, gateway arts district, glass art, washington glass school, Washington Glass Studio, wgs contemporary | Leave a reply

Creative Crafts Council 35th Biennial Exhibit = WOW!

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The 2025 Creative Crafts Council (CCC) 35th Biennial Exhibition presents 169 outstanding artworks by craftspeople from the Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia region. See top crafts in ceramics, enamel, fiber, glass, metal, mixed media, wood, book arts, and jewelry and wearable art. On March 14, 2025 36 artworks received awards for their makers’ outstanding efforts. 

Jurors for the 2025 CCC 35th Biennial wave to the audience at Strathmore Mansion. L-R: Michael Janis, Mary Higgins, Robert Devers.

Washington Glass School was well represented, with works by Kate Barfield, Erwin Timmers and April Shelford included in the exhibition.

1st and 2nd place winners of the CCC Best Glass category: Janet Wittenberg and WGS’ Erwin Timmers
April Shelford’s work Fossil won Honorable Mention

Saturday March 29, and April 26, 2025: Meet the Makers – come meet crafts people from the CCC Guilds and learn more about their crafts at the Strathmore Mansion 11am-1 pm

35th Biennial Creative Crafts Exhibition of Fine Crafts ​
Saturday March 15 – Saturday May 24, 2025

The Strathmore Mansion
10701 Rockville Pike
North Bethesda, MD 20852

Posted in american craft, creative crafts council, strathmore, washington, Washington School of Glass

Baltimore’s BLFTD Art Studios “The World Can’t Take It Away”. Opens April 3!

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BLIFTD ART STVDIOS is an adaptive reuse initiative tasked with building a self-sustaining center for art and creative collaboration for the Baltimore community. BLIFTD is a non-profit, artist-run, co-working studio, gallery, performance space, and hub for peer-to-peer art education in Baltimore, supporting the area’s diverse communities. Located on Baltimore’s waterfront, BLIFTD provides space and programs for the visual arts, entrepreneurship, and community within the historic American Can Company building.

WGS artist John Henderson is part of the new exhibit “The World Can’t Take It Away”. Opening Thursday, April 3 · 6 – 8:30pm EDT

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35th Biennial Exhibition of the Creative Crafts Council

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​Saturday ​March 15 – Saturday May 24, 2025

Thursday, March 20, 2025:   Opening reception and awards ceremony open to the public at the Strathmore Mansion 7-9 pm

The Creative Crafts Council (CCC) celebrates its 35th biennial exhibition supporting the finest crafts from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC. The first biennial had bold beginnings as the Exhibition of Creative Arts at the National Collection of Fine Arts, now known as the National Museum of American Art, and today continues a long tradition of exhibiting at Strathmore.

The 2025 Creative the Crafts Council 35th Exhibition will showcase some of the finest artworks from the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia region, featuring ceramics, enamel, fiber, glass, metal, mixed media, wood, book arts, jewelry, and wearable art. The exhibition runs from Saturday, March 15, 2025, to Saturday, May 24, 2025, at the Mansion at Strathmore, located at 10701 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD.

The Creative Crafts Council (CCC) is an umbrella organization of fine craft guilds that sponsors a juried biennial exhibition of artworks from regional fine craft artists at the Mansion at Strathmore in North Bethesda, Maryland, and supports and promotes craft-making across Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The CCC’s exhibitions of regional craft have been held since 1954.

Meet the Jurors for the 35th CCC Exhibition

Michael Janis, Co-Director of the Washington Glass School & Studio, blends his architectural expertise with a disciplined approach to glass art, managing site-specific and public art commissions since 2005. His narrative artwork, inspired by his multicultural background as the child of Asian/Latino descent, is featured in major museum collections including the Art Institute of Chicago and the Tacoma Museum of Glass. Janis is the Lowe Art Museum’s 2024 Distinguished Artist, currently working on a public art memorial for the Enslaved People Who Built the US Capitol.
Robert Devers is an artist with a multi-faceted practice that includes ceramics, sculpture, painting, and photography. Ceramics remains his essential focus and provides the lens through which the other mediums are engaged and ultimately brought back into play in ceramic practice. Robert Devers received his MFA degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He is currently the Coordinator for the Center for Craft Studies at VisArts in Rockville, MD. He has taught at universities in Washington, DC and Maryland and has works in public collections including Smithsonian Renwick Gallery and the Manuel Cargaliero Foundation, Ravello, Italy.
Mary Higgins is an independent curator and consults with working artists on the development of their marketing and digital media presence through her consultancy, Distinct Studios. Throughout her career, she had maintained her artistic practice of drawing and exhibiting throughout the Washington DC region and internationally. She served for five years as a gallery director and curator for the Schlesinger Center at Northern Virginia Community College where she produced or curated more than 80 exhibitions including three site-specific public installations.

The Strathmore Mansion; 10701 Rockville Pike
North Bethesda, MD 20852

Posted in creative crafts council, creative glass, strathmore | Tagged

Creative Corridors: Walk the Gateway Arts District: May 10th = Open Studio Tour!

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Mark Your Calendars! Save the Date! May 10th Noon til 5PM

Unleash your inner art enthusiast at the largest Open Studios Tour (OST) in the DMV. Set your compass for a creative escapade at the Washington Glass School, nestled in the vibrant Gateway Arts District on May 10th, 2025. From noon until 5 PM, prepare to be captivated by the harmonic merger of four towns united in artistic expression: Mount Rainier, Brentwood, North Brentwood, and Hyattsville, MD.

OST 2025 Washington Glass school
Start the tour of the Gateway Open Studio Tours at the Washington Glass School – 3700 Otis St, Mt Rainier

Join us as we celebrate the 29th edition of this distinguished OST event. Immerse yourself in the creative energy that pulses along Route 1, stretching from the DC line to Hyattsville. Witness the renaissance of art through the eyes of hundreds of local artists, debuting their latest masterpieces in an array of unique mediums.

The Washington Glass School, renowned for nurturing visionary artistry, will be one of the focal points in this year’s tour. Marvel at the dazzling displays of resident artists and instructors, showcasing an eclectic mix of glasswork and more. Whether you’re an avid collector or simply on a quest for the perfect Mother’s Day gift (May 11th!), this is an opportunity not to be missed.

Enjoy in the spectrum of creativity that flows through our community, echoing the spirit of innovation and collaboration. Mark your calendar and step into a world where imagination knows no bounds. See you on May 10th for an unforgettable journey through the art-filled avenues of the Gateway Arts District.

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Eclipse exhibit Artist Talk at the Athenaeum in Alexandria, VA this Sunday, February 23 at 2 PM

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The Athenaeum’s “Sculpture Invitational” Curated by Alison Sigethy, the 11-artist show is heavy on ceramic or glass works, including pieces by Washington Glass School principals Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, and Michael Janis.

Athenaeum “Eclipse” artists Lori Katz and Michael Janis chat at opening of show.

Art critic Mark Jenkins writes in his review for the online DisCerning Eye about the show: “Tate’s “Vitruvian Lenticular” is literally mutable, since its Leonardo-inspired figures alternately reach to each other or actually touch, depending on the viewer’s vantage point. One of Janis’s glass-panel portraits offers multiple views of a face, suggesting jagged facets of a single personality…” and “…The sense of motion is palpable, as it is with Timmers’s upright circles of recycled glass, jagged and swirling. “Eclipse” showcases solid objects that aspire, or at least allude, to fluidity.”

great art in washington, dc area
Artist Erwin Timmers describes his artwork process and themes.

Artist Talk: Sunday, February 23, 2 pm

Eclipse

An Athenaeum Sculpture Invitational

January 16, 2025 – February 23, 2025

Artist Talk: Sunday, February 23, 2 pm

Participating artists: Michael Janis, Lori Katz, Mike Price, Carol Prusa, Sarah Hood Salomon, Salih Zeki Sayar, Murat Sener, Michael Enn Sirvet, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Maduka Uduh

Curated by Alison Sigethy

Reviews of Eclipse exhibit :

Metro Weekly

The Zebra

DisCerning Eye

Posted in athenaeum, warm glass, washington DC, washington glass school, Washington Glass Studio, Washington School of Glass, wgs contemporary | Tagged ,

Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland Black History Month art exhibit & competition

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Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland launched their inaugural Black History Month art exhibit & competition.

Maryland Casino Live! features WGS Artist John Henderson.

A world of creativity and culture is on display at Maryland Casino Live! Pop-Up Art Gallery! The show is a celebration of the reflections of joy in African-American art, honoring the rich history and talent that shapes Maryland’s artistic landscape.

WGS Resident Artist John  Henderson is one of nine Maryland Black artists featured in Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland’s first Black History Month pop-up art exhibit called “Reflections of Joy: Celebrating African American Art in Maryland.”

John Henderson; “Shattered Dreams”; 2024, fused glass

“The discussion of and the history of Black joy is based on the resilience and then, of course, turning adversity into resilience of our African American experience, and this is in such tandem with the theme of our collection, which is really joy, happiness, humor, uplifting,” said Suzi Cordish, the casino’s co-owner.

The pieces and their stories are not just for admiring; they are a part of a competition and the public gets to pick the winner. Through Feb. 24, visitors to the gallery can vote for their favorite piece. The artist with the most votes will receive a $25,000 award and a permanent spot in the Cordish Art Collection in the Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland.

The show runs from February 8 – 28  is an immersive experience where every artwork tells a story. Don’t miss this powerful celebration of Black History Month!

Location: Live! Maryland Casino [7002 Arundel Mills Circle, Hanover, MD] from Feb 8 – 28, 2025.

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Commemoration of the Slaves who Built the US Capitol

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Glass art by Michael Janis

The recent order from President Trump to rescind DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs has led to a noticeable downplaying of Black History Month across government agencies. The U.S. State Department, for instance, has prohibited public events or messages celebrating the month, which has been a staple of American culture since the 1970s.

Michael Janis’ design for DC Ward 5 Memorial

In contrast, local organizations in Washington, DC, are stepping up to honor Black history and contributions. The Lamond Riggs Library Friends, in collaboration with the DC Office of Planning, is hosting Foundations of Freedom: Recognizing the Enslaved People Who Built the U.S. Capitol. This special event will introduce WGS Director Michael Janis’ design for a new DC Memorial to Honor the Enslaved People Who Built the U.S. Capitol for Ward 5. Along with DC’s Office of Planning staff, Michael will offer an overview of a public art proposal. The program will include storytelling, a discussion of the design process, and a Q&A session to engage the community.

Thursday, February 6, 2025 from 1 pm – 3 pm @ Lamond-Riggs DC Public Library, 5401 South Dakota Ave NE, WDC.

For more information – click on link to jump to DCPL site: https://dclibrary.libnet.info/event/12875262

Posted in african american glass, american craft, american glass, architect of the capitol, architecture, black artists of DC, bullseye, creative economy, creative glass, DC, DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, future of glass, glass architecture., history project, kiln-formed, martin luther king jr, michael janis, mike janis, Public Art, studio art glass, studio artist, US Department of State, warm glass, washington DC, washington glass school, Washington Glass Studio, 玻璃艺术 | Tagged ,

Installation In Progress!

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Artist Michael Janis installs his work “intersectionality”

Washington Glass School artists Michael Janis and Erwin Timmers are hard at work installing their stunning sculpture installations at the historic Athenaeum in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Their works are part of Eclipse, a highly anticipated sculpture invitational featuring a dynamic collection of large-scale art pieces.

Don’t miss the opening reception on Friday, January 17th, from 6-8 PM—a perfect chance to meet the artists, explore their captivating creations, and experience the beauty of this extraordinary exhibit.

Erwin Timmers adds the final elements to his installation titled “Vibin'”

Eclipse

An Athenaeum Sculpture Invitational
Curated by Alison Sigethy ,Produced by Veronica Szalus

January 16, 2025 – February 23, 2025

Artist Reception: Friday, January 17, 6 – 8 pm

Artist Talk: Sunday, February 23, 2 pm

Come and see how art transforms space!

Posted in art, art 2025, art exhibit | Tagged ,